Manara Center

Manara Center for Listening and Guidance for Women Survivors of Violence

A safe space for women and girls who have survived violence

If you are a woman or a girl experiencing violence,
Manara Center is a safe, confidential, and supportive space where your voice is heard without judgment, your choices are respected, and you can receive support tailored to your needs and at your own pace.
From the moment you arrive, you will be welcomed by a trained and caring team who will listen to you and support you in accessing your rights, helping you recover and rebuild your future.

Nous connaître

Toll-free number (Monday to Friday, 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.): 80101400
Manara Center – Kef Governorate

Free access (Monday to Friday, 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.) – Confidentiality guaranteed – Consent respected</p

Manara Center : a lasting commitment to dignity and justice

Through the Manara Center, AFC reaffirms its commitment to :

- the protection of women and girls survivors of violence;
- comprehensive support for women and girl survivors through reception, listening, guidance, psychosocial support, legal and judicial assistance, and socio-economic empowerment, within a human-rights-based approach;
- respect for their rights and dignity;
- the promotion of gender justice and resilience.

History of the Manara Center

The Manara Center was established in 2014 by AFC, in response to the need for specialized services for women and girls who have survived gender-based violence in the Kef Governorate.

Since its creation, the Manara Center has progressively developed into a regional reference centre, offering integrated, multidisciplinary care in line with international standards for the protection and support of survivors.

With over 12 years of experience, the Center has supported hundreds of women and girls, while building strong partnerships with institutional, judicial, social, and civil society actors, and actively contributing to regional coordination mechanisms to combat gender-based violence.

A holistic, survivor-centred approach

Support at the Manara Center is based on an integrated care pathway, providing coherent, gradual, and personalized assistance.

Reception and listening services

Listening is the first point of entry at the Manara Center.

Survivors benefit from:
a warm and confidential welcome in a safe space;
empathetic listening provided by trained and experienced listeners;
time to express the violence experienced, reconstruct their narrative, and articulate their needs.

This stage also allows for an assessment of safety risks, the identification of priority needs and a referral to other Center services (legal, psychosocial, psychological) or to regional and national partner services.

Legal and judicial support

The Manara Center ensures survivors’ effective access to justice, based on information, informed choice, and respect for their wishes.

Legal services include a personalized legal assessment, clear guidance on rights, procedures, and protection mechanisms. Should they choose to initiate legal action, a practical support for survivors, includes:

Drafting complaints, applications, and protection order requests;
Preparation for and assistance in court hearings;
Assistance in courts and police stations.

For survivors in situations of economic vulnerability, the Center covers necessary legal costs (fees for specialized lawyers, bailiffs, registration of legal acts, etc.).

Psychosocial support

Psychosocial support aims to support survivors in sustainably breaking the cycles of violence and restoring their autonomy.
It includes long-term personalized follow-up and support in accessing social and economic rights, including:

Emergency or transitional housing.
Physical and mental healthcare.
Social assistance.
Children’s schooling.
Various administrative procedures;
Referral to employment, vocational training, or economic integration programmes.

Collective activities (social spaces, peer exchanges, participatory activities) are also offered to reduce isolation and strengthen survivors’ self-esteem.

Socio-economic empowerment

Beyond protection, the Manara Center supports some survivors in achieving economic empowerment.
This includes the identification and the personalized assessment of their needs, technical and cross-cutting training in employability or entrepreneurship and support for the development of micro-projects or income-generating activities.

The goal is to enable survivors to regain control over their lives, in line with their abilities, choices, and aspirations.